I’ll be on tonight from 8-10 EST; if anyone has questions feel free to leave them here!
Stay strong
MR
I’m feeling beat to hell this week with the workouts posted the other night on your thread. Any tips for how I should structure my volume next week and thereafter to help keep me going?
ND,
I’ll be honest boss; that looks like a brutal set-up you have right now. Typically if I do a 5x5 routine, it’s only for one core exercise, and then the rest is lighter.
How long have you been training like this? If it’s more than a few weeks, a serious unload week could be in order.
Stay strong
MR
[quote]Nate Dogg wrote:
I’m feeling beat to hell this week with the workouts posted the other night on your thread. Any tips for how I should structure my volume next week and thereafter to help keep me going?[/quote]
I need to do some serious work on my shoulders. I’ve been incorporating these three workouts to target the front, sides, back of my delts.
- Front barbell military press
- Side dumbell arm raises
- Bent-over rows with dumbells
I want to build on my shoulders with a different routine. Can you give me atleast three shoulder workouts that will target the three areas on deltoids?
Thanks,
OD
Anyone? Buehler?
Damnit, they’re all in CT’s forum. Rats!
Stay strong
MR
Hey Mike I was curious as to what your thoughts were regarding this program for a person on a bulk. Thanks bro.
Upper Body Workout One: (Monday)
-
Barbell Bench Press (flat or incline, primarily wide grip, 4x10 with the same weight for each set)
-
Dumbbell Press (flat, incline, or decline for 3x8-12 same weight)
-
Horizontal Lat Work (heavy barbell rows, 5x5)
-
Shoulders/Traps (emphasis on medial delts - shrugs, high pulls, dumbbell cleans, lateral raise complex, face pulls - pick 1-2 exercises for 4-6 sets total)
-
Tricep Extension (skull crushers, French presses, JM Presses, rolling dumbbell extensions, Tate Presses, pushdowns - pick one exercise for 3x10-12)
-
Biceps (1-2 exercises, 3-5 sets total)
Lower Body Workout One: (Tuesday)
-
Heavy Squats (butt to ankles, 5x5 working up each set to a 5rm, or try for a 3rm or even an occasional 1rm)
-
Good mornings (3x5 same weight or work up to 5rm)
-
Pull throughs (3-5 sets of 10-12, some arched back, some rounded back)
-
Glute Ham Raises or Hamstring Curls followed by Leg Extensions (2 sets each)
-or-
-
Leg Presses (3-4 sets of 10-12) -or- Occasionally a Hack Squat (for 3-4x10-12)
-
Weighted Abs/ Obliques (5x10 total - weighted situps, ab pulldowns on high cable or with bands, dumbbell side bends, etc.)
Upper Body Workout Two: (Thursday)
-
Flat Barbell Bench Press (close or regular grip - heavy work 1rm, 3rm, 5rm, or 5x5)
-
Board Press/Floor Press (5rm usually start where you left off on bench press)
-
Overhead Press (Standing military press, push press, dumbbell overhead press - various rep schemes - 5rm, 5x5, 4x10)
-
Dips (2-3 sets)
-
Vertical Lat Work (lat pull-downs or pull-ups - 5+ sets - if on lat pull-down use different bars and work different planes)
-
Triceps Extension (skull crushers, French presses, JM Presses, rolling dumbbell extensions, Tate Presses, pushdowns - pick one exercise for 3x10-12)
-
Biceps (1-2 exercises, 3-5 sets total)
Lower Body Workout Two: (Friday)
-
Lighter Squats (back squats or front squats for 5x5 or 4x10 with the same weight)
-
Deadlifts (conventional deadlifts or deadlifts standing on 2-3" box, mat, or 100lb plate - 1rm, 3rm, 5rm, or 3x5 same weight, )
-
Pullthroughs (3-5 sets of 10-12, some arched back, some rounded back)
-
Glute Ham Raises or Hamstring Curls followed by Leg Extensions (2 sets each)
-
Weighted Hyperextensions (2-3x10-12)
-
Weighted Abs/ Obliques (5x10 total - weighted sit-ups, ab pull-downs on high cable or with bands, dumbbell side bends, etc.)
After three weeks an unloading phase is used whereby volume is decreased by picking only two of the lower body exercises and three of the upper body exercises for a week.
What are the best exercises to build mass in the chest?
I can’t necessarily give you workouts, because that’s what people pay me to do; it’s not fair for me to give you one for free!
However, your exercise selection looks good. I would also consider working in some bent over laterals, Bradford presses, and DB military’s. As well, your chest and back work will develop your shoulders as well, so don’t feel you need to blast your shoulders with specific exercises 3x per week.
Stay strong
MR
[quote]Original_Demon wrote:
I need to do some serious work on my shoulders. I’ve been incorporating these three workouts to target the front, sides, back of my delts.
- Front barbell military press
- Side dumbell arm raises
- Bent-over rows with dumbells
I want to build on my shoulders with a different routine. Can you give me atleast three shoulder workouts that will target the three areas on deltoids?
Thanks,
OD[/quote]
All bench variations (barbell, dumbbell, flat, incline, decline) and dips with a forward lean. Some people will add in flies for fun, but the basics mentioned above should be the staples in your chest program.
Stay strong
MR
[quote]and1bball4mk wrote:
What are the best exercises to build mass in the chest?[/quote]
[quote]Mike Robertson wrote:
ND,
I’ll be honest boss; that looks like a brutal set-up you have right now. Typically if I do a 5x5 routine, it’s only for one core exercise, and then the rest is lighter.
How long have you been training like this? If it’s more than a few weeks, a serious unload week could be in order.
Stay strong
MR
Nate Dogg wrote:
I’m feeling beat to hell this week with the workouts posted the other night on your thread. Any tips for how I should structure my volume next week and thereafter to help keep me going?
[/quote]
This is my second week using these exercises and particular set up. Prior to these two weeks, I was doing a similar program (a few different exercises) but it was with less volume (4x3 on two exercises, 3x5 on two others). I did that for three weeks. Prior to that, I was doing two-a-day training using heavy workouts in the morning (like just mentioned; 4x3, 3x5) and then some higher rep stuff in the afternoon (3x8) with different exercises.
Do you recommend including external rotation exercises on all of your routines?
What program or training parameters is in your opinion the best for powerlifting. I know it comes down to bringing up weaknesses, but what do you think is the most efficient and proven overall program according to your personal experience, as well as you experience working with athletes. Also, what program are you using at the current time?
Hey there,
If I am constantly drawing blood from my shins during deadlifts, do you think there is any reason to re-evaluate my body mechanics, or is this something all hardcore deadlifters have? (Bad-ass shin callousses?)
MR,
I have been suffering pain in both shoulders when I bench, so I have decided to stop benching (gasp!) and fix the damn problem. I will be doing a lot of external rotation exercises, scapula stability drills, and stretching the internal rotators.
Now to the question:
How do I gauge when I can load the joint again? When healthy, should I start incorporating certain exercises instead of others?
Now I don’t know what your body can handle, but I’d be willing to put money on the fact you are overtrained/overreached. A week or two of low-intensity/volume training and I think you’d feel like a new man.
Stay strong
MR
[quote]Nate Dogg wrote:
This is my second week using these exercises and particular set up. Prior to these two weeks, I was doing a similar program (a few different exercises) but it was with less volume (4x3 on two exercises, 3x5 on two others). I did that for three weeks. Prior to that, I was doing two-a-day training using heavy workouts in the morning (like just mentioned; 4x3, 3x5) and then some higher rep stuff in the afternoon (3x8) with different exercises.
[/quote]
I don’t like using words like ALL or NEVER, but yes, I do include them in pretty much all of my routines. I’m still trying to convince Cressey to print up the “Shut Up and Externally Rotate” shirts, but I don’t know if he’s up to it or not!
Stay strong
MR
[quote]StrikeT wrote:
Do you recommend including external rotation exercises on all of your routines?[/quote]
Could it be possible that an ingrown toenail (even though it doesn’t hurt) could mess up the veins in your foot? When I’m doing heavier deadlifts I can feel the veins on the side of my ankle big time on the foot with the ingrown toenail.
MR,
I’ve been told to increase bench do more shoulder work… Your thoughts on this?
OD
For PL, it’s tough to beat the Westside template. For benchers, the Metal Militia stuff is what I like the best.
With regards to my training, it’s kind of a hybrid that I’ve come up with. I guess it would be easiest to outline it here:
Tuesday - Squat
Squats, Usually heavy sets of 5
Heavy posterior chain ex, RDL’s, GM’s, etc. for sets of 5-8
Accessory posterior chain, typically GHR for sets of 6-10
Single leg ex, sets of 5-8
Abs
Thursday - Raw bench
Bench, Typically work up to heavy 5’s or 3’s
Heavy Row, sets of 6-10
Tricep extension of some sort
Lighter back work
Abs
Friday - DL
Speed Squats
Speed Pulls or sometimes ME pull
Heavy posterior chain
Accessory posterior chain
Single leg ex (if I didn’t squat that day)
Abs
Sunday - Top end bench
ME board press, floor press, reverse band bench
Heavy rows
Lockout ex for reps
External rotation
Abs
I also do prehab stuff on all these days as well, but that’s my current in-season PL routine. Off season is a little different and focuses more on general strength and eradicating muscle imbalances.
For sports training, my “Designer Athletes” piece gives a great outline for off-season strength training.
Stay strong
MR
[quote]ckeller14 wrote:
What program or training parameters is in your opinion the best for powerlifting. I know it comes down to bringing up weaknesses, but what do you think is the most efficient and proven overall program according to your personal experience, as well as you experience working with athletes. Also, what program are you using at the current time?[/quote]
Welcome to the world of badasses!
Seriously though, I would just wear long socks and see if that doesn’t take care of it. I’ve seen people put shin guards on for deadlift workouts, but cuts are really just part of the game.
Stay strong
MR
[quote]the MaxX wrote:
Hey there,
If I am constantly drawing blood from my shins during deadlifts, do you think there is any reason to re-evaluate my body mechanics, or is this something all hardcore deadlifters have? (Bad-ass shin callousses?)[/quote]